5 Must-See Masterpieces on a Vatican Museum Tour

Visiting the Vatican Museums can be an overwhelming experience. There is so much to see, that your eyes start wandering from one piece of art to the other, without really knowing where to look! But the truth is no matter how long you spend in the museums, it will never be enough to truly get a grasp on the art, history and beauty that overflows from the Vatican. With this is mind, we have put together a list of the 5 must-see masterpieces when doing a Vatican Museum Tour.

1. Gallery of Candelabra

The Gallery of Candelabra takes its name from the massive marble candelabra as well as the marble columns that subdivide the room in six different sections.

This gallery was originally an open “loggia” but was walled and closed up around 200 years ago. Arranged under Pope Pius VI Braschi between 1785 and 1788, the gallery was completely renovated during the pontificate of Pope Leo XIII Pecci and this is the decoration you can admire today.

2. Gallery of Tapestries

This Gallery is a 75m long corridor of oversized storytelling tapestries.

There are tapestries belonging to two different periods. The first belong to the Barberini workshop in Rome which commemorate Pope Urban VIII. The second are from Flemish weavers from the Pieter Van Aelst’s School in Brussels. These tapestries were based on drawings by Raphael’s pupils, commemorating the life of Jesus.

The tapestries were first shown in the Sistine Chapel in 1531.

3. Gallery of Maps

The 120 metres-long gallery takes its name from the 40 maps frescoed on the walls. Pope Gregory XIII commissioned the giant maps of Italy so he could explore the peninsula without leaving his residency. They were painted between 1580 and 1585 based on drawings by friar and geographer Ignazio Danti.

Don’t forget to look up, admire the spectacular ceiling work of Cesare Nebbia and Girolamo Muziano.

4. Sistine Chapel

We know it’s almost silly to include this in our must-see guide on a Vatican Museum tour as we know that this is The Highlight, if not The Reason most of you visit The Vatican Museums, but we had to make sure it was in here somewhere!

Originally known as the Cappella Magna, the chapel takes its name from Pope Sixtus IV. Since that time, the chapel has served as a place of both religious and functionary papal activity.

Today it’s the site of the Papal conclave, the process by which a new pope is selected. The fame of the Sistine Chapel lies mainly in the frescos that decorate the interior, and most particularly the Sistine Chapel ceiling and The Last Judgment by Michelangelo.

We will let your Vatican tour guide go into details on each art piece but try and get their early to avoid big crowds and have more space to enjoy every minute spent in the Chapel.

5. St Peter’s Basilica

St. Peter’s Basilica is the most renowned work of Renaissance architecture and the largest church in the world. St. Peter’s Basilica took approximately 120 years to build, spanning 20 popes and almost every famous Renaissance architect that you can think of, including Bramante, Raphael and Michelangelo.

The Basilica contains spectacular works of art such as Michelangelo’s only signed piece, Pietà, and Bernini’s baldachino over the papal altar.

Catholic tradition holds that the Basilica is the burial site of Saint Peter, one of Christ’s Apostles and also the first Pope.

You can almost see St Peter’s Basilica poking out from anywhere you stand in the city but for a different view of the Dome, we recommend you head to the Aventine Keyhole on Aventine Hill.

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For those of you that have a tight schedule, we know how long queues can get, especially in high season! Did you know the Vatican Museums have over 6 million visitors a year?! Not only that, but it’s the 6th most visited museum in the world!

As a member of The Roman Guy’s Marketing team, Francesca gets to explore The Eternal City on a daily basis. She is constantly on the move to find the best gelato, quiet side streets and scenic views the Eternal City has to offer and can't wait to explore more of Italy's coastline.